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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For the unit in Age of Mythology, see Militia (Age of Mythology).

Template:AoEIIUnits Test

โ€œBasic infantry swordsman. Cheap and quick to create.โ€
Age of Empires II description

The Militia is an infantry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Barracks. It is the first trainable military unit and the only one available in the Dark Age. The Militia is ineffective after the Dark Age.

Tactics

The Militia's main and basically only use is in a Dark Age rush, which involves quickly training and sending a small band of Militia into the enemy base to harass and disrupt their economic activities. Given the extremely poor town defensive capabilities of the Dark Age, this tactic is very viable if the player can get the drop on their opponents. Enemy Villagers may still attack, though without Loom they will still be felled very quickly by the player's Militia. However, caution is still advisable given that Loom is often researched as soon as the match starts, and enemy Villagers may be able to defeat their aggressors if they manage to land the first strike. For infantry-focused civilizations like the Aztecs, Goths, Japanese, or Celts, a Dark Age rush is a potent strategy because they can upgrade to Man-at-Arms in the Feudal Age when their infantry bonuses kick in, and then go heavy into Men-at-Arms since they already have Militia.

With that said, Militia, despite being infantry, are extremely ineffective against buildings and upgraded units. Massing Militia without proper planning is generally a waste of valuable resources that are better spent focusing on building up the playerยดs economy and advancing to the Feudal Age. All in all, Militia are weak and die very easily, but do provide early offense.

Further Statistics

Unit Strengths and Weaknesses
Strong vs. Skirmishers, Scout Cavalry, Spearmen, Villagers
Weak vs. Almost everything
Upgrades
Attack Forging, Iron Casting, Blast Furnace, Arson (increases attack against buildings), Garland Wars (Aztecs only), Druzhina (Slavs only, gives trample damage), Chieftains (Vikings only, gives attack bonus against cavalry and camels)
Armor Scale Mail Armor, Chain Mail Armor, Plate Mail Armor
Speed Squires
Sight Tracking
Conversion Defense Faith, Heresy
Creation Speed Conscription, Perfusion (Goths only)
Train Cost Forced Levy (Malay only, eliminates the gold cost)
Upgrades Militia can be upgraded to Men-at-Arms

Civilization Bonuses

  • Aztecs: Militia are created 15% faster.
  • Burmese: Militia have +1/+2/+3 attack in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
  • Celts: Militia move 15% faster. Militia can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
  • Chinese: Technologies that benefit Militia are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • Goths: Militia are 35% cheaper (starting in the Feudal Age) and have +1 attack against buildings. With Perfusion researched, researching Tracking, Squires, and Arson and upgrading to Man-at-Arms is 100% faster.
  • Japanese: Militia attack 25% faster (starting in the Feudal Age).
  • Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
  • Malians: Militia have +1/+2/+3 pierce armor in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • Portuguese: Militia cost 15% less gold.
  • Slavs: Tracking is free.
  • Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Militia don't cost gold.
  • Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
  • Vikings: Militia have 10%/15%/20% more hit points in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

Team Bonuses

Changelog

The Age of Kings

  • Militia have 0 pierce armor.
  • Goths: Militia are 10%/15%/25% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

The Conquerors

  • Militia now have 1 pierce armor.
  • Heresy introduced.
  • Goths: With patch 1.0c, Militia are 35% cheaper starting in the Feudal Age. Perfusion introduced.

The African Kingdoms

Trivia

  • Although Militia belong to the swordsman-line, they clearly carry some sort of club.
  • The Militia is one of only four military units without an attack bonus against anything (the others being the Boyar, the Turtle Ship, and the Knight-line).
  • The Militia line is the only unit line in the game with more than three stages.
  • The Militia is the only military unit and of only two land units (next to the Villager) available in the Dark Age.
  • The Malay is the only civilization to have the Militia line (except the Champion) as trash unit (once the Forced Levy is researched).

History

โ€œLocal peasants and works called up for military duty in times of emergency made up the militia. These temporary soldiers were usually equipped with second-rate weapons and armor. They returned to their normal occupations when the emergency had passed. Levies of militia were often used as second-line troops when great lords assembled their vassals for a campaign. The militia was available for less demanding fighting and other tasks in support of the main army. England's Harold Godwinson stood his ground in 1066 at Hastings with only his vassals. If he had fallen back and called up the Anglo-Saxon militia, known as the furd, some historians believe that he would have not lost his kingdom to William the Conqueror. For much of the Dark Ages there were only small professional armies in the west. Militia led by strong leaders and their few retainers carried on much of the Dark Age fighting.โ€

Gallery

Template:Militiaevo

Units in Age of Empires II
CivilianMaleVillDE Villager ยท Tradecart aoe2DE Trade Cart ยท FishingShipDE Fishing Ship ยท Trade cog aoe2DE Trade Cog ยท King eu aoe2DE King
ReligiousMonk aoe2DE Monk
InfantryMilitiaDE Militia ยท Manatarms aoe2DE Man-at-Arms ยท Longswordsman aoe2DE Long Swordsman ยท Twohanded aoe2DE Two-Handed Swordsman ยท Champion aoe2DE Champion
Spearman aoe2DE Spearman ยท Aoe2-infantry-2-pikeman Pikeman ยท Halberdier aoe2DE Halberdier
Eaglescout aoe2DE Eagle Scout ยท Eaglewarrior aoe2DE Eagle Warrior ยท EliteEaglewarrior aoe2DE Elite Eagle Warrior
ArcherArcher aoe2DE Archer ยท Crossbowman aoe2DE Crossbowman ยท Arbalester aoe2DE Arbalester
Skirmisher aoe2DE Skirmisher ยท Elite skirmisher aoe2DE Elite Skirmisher
Hand cannoneer aoe2DE Hand Cannoneer
Cavalryarcher aoe2DE Cavalry Archer ยท Heavycavalryarcher aoe2de Heavy Cavalry Archer
Aoe2de DOI elephant archer icon Elephant Archer ยท ElephantArcherIcon-DE Elite Elephant Archer
CavalryScoutcavalry aoe2DE Scout Cavalry ยท Lightcavalry aoe2DE Light Cavalry ยท Hussar aoe2DE Hussar
Knight aoe2DE Knight ยท Cavalier aoe2DE Cavalier ยท Paladin aoe2DE Paladin
Camelrider aoe2DE Camel Rider ยท Aoe2 heavycamelriderDE Heavy Camel Rider
Battle elephant aoe2DE Battle Elephant ยท Elite battle elephant aoe2DE Elite Battle Elephant
Steppelancericon Steppe Lancer ยท Elitesteppelancericon Elite Steppe Lancer
Xolotlicon Xolotl Warrior
AoE2DE Armored Elephant icon Armored Elephant ยท AoE2DE Siege Elephant icon Siege Elephant
SiegeBattering ram aoe2DE Battering Ram ยท Capped ram aoe2DE Capped Ram ยท Siege ram aoe2DE Siege Ram
Mangonel aoe2DE Mangonel ยท Onager aoe2DE Onager ยท Siege onager aoe2DE Siege Onager
Scorpion aoe2DE Scorpion ยท Heavyscorpion aoe2DE Heavy Scorpion
Bombard cannon aoe2DE Bombard Cannon
Trebuchet aoe2DE Trebuchet
Petard aoe2DE Petard
Siegetower aoe2DE Siege Tower
War shipTransportship aoe2DE Transport Ship
Galley aoe2DE Galley ยท War galley aoe2DE War Galley ยท Galleon aoe2DE Galleon
Fire galley aoe2DE Fire Galley ยท Fireship aoe2DE Fire Ship ยท Fastfireship aoe2DE Fast Fire Ship
Demoraft aoe2DE Demolition Raft ยท Demoship aoe2DE Demolition Ship ยท Heavydemoship aoe2de Heavy Demolition Ship
Cannon galleon aoe2DE Cannon Galleon ยท Elite cannon galleon aoe2de Elite Cannon Galleon
AoE2 Dromon Dromon
Unique
ReligiousMissionaryIcon-DE Missionary ยท AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest
InfantryBerserkIcon-DE Berserk ยท Aoe2de Chakram Chakram Thrower ยท CondottieroIcon-DE Condottiero ยท Aoe2-icon-flemish-militia Flemish Militia ยท GbetoIcon-DE Gbeto ยท Aoe2de Ghulam Ghulam ยท HuskarlIcon-DE Huskarl ยท JaguarWarriorIcon-DE Jaguar Warrior ยท KamayukIcon-DE Kamayuk ยท Karambitwarrioricon-DE Karambit Warrior ยท AoE2 DE Legionary new icon Legionary ยท Aoe2-icon--obuch Obuch ยท SamuraiIcon-DE Samurai ยท Aoe2-icon-serjeant Serjeant ยท Shotelwarrioricon-DE Shotel Warrior ยท TeutonicKnightIcon-DE Teutonic Knight ยท ThrowingAxemanIcon-DE Throwing Axeman ยท Aoe2de Urumi Urumi Swordsman ยท AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest ยท WoadRaiderIcon-DE Woad Raider
ArcherArambaiicon-DE Arambai ยท CamelArcherIcon-DE Camel Archer ยท ChukoNuIcon-DE Chu Ko Nu ยท AoE2 CompositeBowman Composite Bowman ยท ConquistadorIcon-DE Conquistador ยท GenitourIcon-DE Genitour ยท GenoeseCrossbowmanIcon-DE Genoese Crossbowman ยท Imperialskirmishericon-DE Imperial Skirmisher ยท JanissaryIcon-DE Janissary ยท Kipchakicon Kipchak ยท LongbowmanIcon-DE Longbowman ยท MangudaiIcon-DE Mangudai ยท PlumedArcherIcon-DE Plumed Archer ยท Aoe2de ratha ranged Ranged Ratha ยท Rattanarchericon-DE Rattan Archer ยท SlingerIcon-DE Slinger ยท WarWagonIcon-DE War Wagon
CavalryBallistaelephanticon-DE Ballista Elephant ยท BoyarIcon-DE Boyar ยท Aoe2de camel scout Camel Scout ยท CataphractIcon-DE Cataphract ยท Aoe2de roman unique centurion icon Centurion ยท Aoe2-icon-coustillier Coustillier ยท Flaming camel icon Flaming Camel ยท ImperialCamelRiderIcon-DE Imperial Camel Rider ยท Keshikicon Keshik ยท Konnikicon Konnik ยท Leitisicon Leitis ยท MagyarHuszarIcon-DE Magyar Huszar ยท MamelukeIcon-DE Mameluke ยท AoE2 Monaspa Monaspa ยท Aoe2de ratha melee Melee Ratha ยท AoE2 Savar Savar ยท Aoe2de shrivamsha rider Shrivamsha Rider ยท TarkanIcon-DE Tarkan ยท WarElephantIcon-DE War Elephant ยท Aoe2-icon-winged-hussar Winged Hussar
SiegeAoe2-icon--houfnice Houfnice ยท Aoe2-icon-hussite-wagon Hussite Wagon ยท OrganGunIcon-DE Organ Gun
War shipCaravelIcon-DE Caravel ยท LongboatIcon-DE Longboat ยท Aoe2de Thirisadai Thirisadai ยท TurtleShipIcon-DE Turtle Ship
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